DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AT SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI
As a school, we endeavour to utilise (where possible and practicable) technology to enhance education and prepare our students for the future. The document's purpose is to ensure that students are aware of their responsibilities when using their iPad at school or home.
1:1 and Shared iPad Program (Kindy to Year 3)
At St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, we have access to 1:1 iPads across the school from Year 1 through to Year 3, with banks of shared iPads available for small groups in Kindy and Pre-Primary. Access to this sort of technology provides a valuable opportunity for our children to become responsible digital citizens for our future society.
As with any teaching resource, the iPad is a tool to enhance the teaching and learning cycle to assist in building creative and innovative learners. Our aim is to use the technology to enrich and redefine learning experiences across the curriculum.
2023 BYOD Program (Year 4)
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is becoming the norm in workplaces and schools. Having access to a device teaches children from a young age the rules of online behaviour, including how to safely interact online whilst at home and in the classroom too. Schools can monitor internet safety for children and can guide them about online etiquette.
Over the next 3 years we will roll out our BYOD program from Year 4 to Year 6.
Implementing BYOD at St Francis will:
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Give families and students the freedom to choose their own devices.
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Give a cost effective option.
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Lower the ICT Levy from $600 over 3 years to $210.
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Provide more responsibility on students for their learning and looking after their belongings
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It bridges the gap between school and home learning.
BYOD Program
Click Here to view the Student iPad Contract
Click here for the 2021 Parent Information Night Presentation
Click here for the 2023 BYOD Program Booklet
Click here for the 2023 BYOD Summary
Click here for the 2023 BYOD Parent Info Presentation
Click here for the JB Education BYOD Portal
ROBOTICS PROGRAM
As part of our belief in preparing our students for the future as 21st Century learners, we have developed an innovative and varied Robotics Program available to students across the year levels. The school is well resourced with technology compatible with and working beyond iPads. Equipment such as Ozobots, Spheros, Microbits and EV3s are used within the classroom to facilitate deeper concept learning and to give students’ learning experiences a real-world connection.
APPLE CLASSROOM
Apple Classroom allows teachers to monitor student progress and keep them on track. With Apple Classroom, teachers can easily launch the same app on every student iPad at the same time or launch a different app for individual groups of students. Apple Classroom helps teachers focus on teaching, so students can focus on learning.
Examples of teacher use of Apple Classroom:
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Assign Shared iPads to students
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Start, focus, or pause student work
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Launch any app, website, or book
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Lock into a single app to help students focus
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Lock screens to pause work or refocus your class
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Mute audio on student devices
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See what the students see with Screen View
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Share documents and links with the class using AirDrop
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Share student work on the classroom Apple TV
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Reset forgotten passwords
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Organize students using groups
SAFETY ONLINE
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Click on this link to read different National Safety Online Posters that have been created to guide parents and guardians with online safety.
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Follow this link to read the Online Safety Guide created by eSafety Commissioner. This guide covers some of the key online safety issues for young people and includes a range of practical tips and advice on what to do if things go wrong. You can also find a list of important services that can offer extra support.
RELEVANT POLICIES
YSAFE
Our school recognises that children today are growing up in an increasingly online world and that it's important that we do more to support and guide them to navigate this digital landscape. This is why we have teamed up with ySafe!
ySafe is one of Australia's most trusted providers in delivering online safety education to students, parents and staff, including the provision of expert consultation in managing cyber safety in schools and organisations. ySafe was founded in 2013 in response to growing concerns amongst parents and school communities regarding children’s online activities, and the increasing prominence of technology-related developmental and behavioural issues. From Today, ySafe is one of Australia's leading provider of cyber safety education.
As partner with ySafe, we have access to our own cyber safety hub, where family members can get advice on different apps and how to deal with cyber safe issues within the home, as well as learn how to set up parental controls. Through ySafe family members can set up Fmily Zone for free.
Family Zone provides a complete cyber safety solution for your family across every device, everywhere. It assists you in keeping your children safe and responsible online by allowing you to:
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manage screentime,
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restrict social media an Youtube content,
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limit in-app purchases,
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remove adult content for safe searching.
Below is the link to access the St Francis of Assisi cyber safety hub
JAMF SCHOOL
At Saint Francis of Assisi we use JAMF School to manage school iPads and distribute apps for use within lessons. JAMF School is a ‘Mobile Device Management’ system which allows teachers the control over just how a student’s iPad is used. It has a range of features which allows it to 'Lock in' apps or specified websites for an allocated time. It also allows restrictions to be easily placed on iPads, enabling distractions to be minimised and indeed e-safety made paramount.